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Jerry Springeralways understood thecontroversial nature of his daytime talk show.
“It’s stupid,“The Jerry Springer Showhost, whodiedThursday following a brief illness, said on theTodayshow in 2017. “And it’s got a niche, and no one else kind of goes in that niche, so I think that’s one of the reason it’s lasted.”
The Jerry Springer Showran for 27 years from 1991 to 2018, bringing on guests like a Ku Klux Klan member, a mole person and a man who married a horse. Springer cited “the personality of the guests” as the reason why so many people tuned in.
“No one’s watching because of me,” Springer continued onToday. “They’re watching because the stories are crazy and the people are outrageous.”
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The former Cincinnati mayor apologized for the effect he thought his show had. “I’ve ruined the culture,” he said.
After running for Ohio governor in 1982, Springer tried his hand at commentary and eventually landed his own show. Springer didn’t intend for his show to become what it did.
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Springer reflected on the challenges of filming that episode to PEOPLE in 2019.
“We had a neo-Nazi on and I kind of lost it,” Springer said. “I’d lost my family in the Holocaust, so when he started talking about turning my mother into a lampshade or something, I lost it.”
The talk show host regretted getting heated. “I’m supposed to be able to handle all the outrageous things. But I kind of put my finger in his face and yelled at him,” he said. “Suddenly, he stood up and he was a big guy. I was like, ‘Oh. This was not a good idea.’ Thankfully security got him on the ground.”
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AlthoughThe Jerry Springer Showcame to an endafter 4,000 episodes, Springer never planned to slow down. He produced and starred inJudge Jerry, which ran for three seasons, and hosted another talk show in Connecticut, as well as thePrice is Right Live!Tour.
“I will be stopping when I’m 104. I want to be able to enjoy my retirement,” Springer said. “I’m lucky. I don’t need to make a living anymore. I work because it’s enjoyable to do and people enjoy the show. As long as I’m healthy, I’ll keep doing it. I can’t imagine doing nothing.”
source: people.com
